Don’t settle for off the shelf logos

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I realise that people sometimes undervalue or don’t understand the importance and value of their brand identity, and that’s one thing, but then there are the emails like the one I received today. It read in full:

Hi

I need a logo design for my new sporting company. Please email it to sparkle5232@hotmail.com ASAP.

Thanks.

No company name, no information on the products or services provided, a generic email address without even the name of who I’m speaking to, and since the subject of cost hasn’t even been broached Sparkle is no doubt expecting it for peanuts, or more likely free.

Obviously Sparkle isn’t serious about his/her branding at the moment, how serious could they be about the business if they don’t think it even warrants telling me the name? I’m not sure what the expectation is for designs like this, that a graphic designer will just grab a logo out of the box labelled “sporting companies” perhaps? That one size fits all? It doesn’t.

If you are serious about a logo design and brand identity for your business, do yourself a favour. Find a designer with a portfolio you like, submit a detailed design brief and openly discuss your requirements, budget and what you can expect for your money.

A logo design is on the way, Sparkle.*

The last thing your new business needs is for you to waste time with some half-cocked misadventure into branding. Image credit.

It’s just over 2 years since I launched my blog and I still love working on it. I hope you find running yours to be the same.

Indeed, now-a-days I have a copy/paste email set aside for similar requests, politely asking for more details information and budget. Nothing separates the serious clients from the flippant faster than talking about budget.

It’s no surprise to me that there was no answer to your logo design questionnaire… If “Sparkle” had any idea about importance of logo design, they wouldn’t send such ridiculous requests in the first place. I bet they were going – “What do you mean budget? I have to pay for logo? No way…”

I still boggles my mind how many people expect designers to turn work around in a matter of hours, and do it for free.

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